Trainwreck
by Emmy1512
Summary: Sequel to Three Hour Intervals. Set seasons 6 through 8. "If only love were enough to save us from ourselves."
1. Meridian Altitude

**Authors Note: Here it is. Thanks to everyone who gave feedback on Three Hour Intervals. I feel I should warn you this will be angsty. This has Pete. This has outright explicit content in later chapters (don't worry, Pete isn't in that). I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 **Meridian Altitude**

 _"The zenith distance of a heavenly object at meridian altitude is the difference in latitude between it and its observer."_

He was on his roof, telescope neglected for simply optical observation of the moon and pondering the words spat at him early from the insufferably beautiful lips of the woman he'd dared to love. They meant nothing to him at first. She did this sometimes, she's shout something ridiculously over his head that had nothing to do with anything they were arguing about. Only it always did. It took him two serious fights for him to realise she was using science to try to tell him how she was feeling. It made sense, really. They never really figured out how to communicate, not even in the past year of building a semblance of a relationship. He had to admit it was never easy. He'd never thought it would be but he didn't expect it to be this hard. They couldn't do anything normal couples did, a movie night? Forget it. Ice-skating? Got a private rink? It didn't matter at first, but eventually it started taking its toll. They weren't hiding from court martial; instead they were trying to protect the SGC from rogue NID elements that would not hesitate to use their relationship to try to tear down the Stargate.

It was almost hilarious to him how little their relationship affected anything they did at work, they'd considered that to be the biggest challenge going into this thing and they were so sorely wrong. It wasn't that he didn't worry that little bit more when they were in a combat situation, or that he didn't check on her that one extra time before she entered the wormhole. Oh no, he worried more than he did before. It served to make him a more vigilant leader to their whole team. They _all_ played a role in getting Carter back home to him. _They_ didn't affect work... but work affected them.

He knew what she was trying to say this time, with her meridian altitude lecture. He'd been sailing plenty enough to know how to calculate your latitude. She was trying to tell him that he was so damned far away from her. She was begging him to come back to her. He had no idea what he could say or do to make her feel better. Other than coming back to her that is...

It was one month since they'd watched Daniel die, since Jack had made Jacob stop healing. He _knew_ Daniel wanted it, he'd asked for it, he saw what happened as a result. It didn't make it hurt any damned less though. He hadn't had a chance to grieve, the world seemed to be constantly under threat of this or that and it had provided an excellent distracted. Now he had a chance, for the past two days they've been at his house, trying to find normalcy in their lives but nothing could ever make it normal and he could see it killing her happiness.

He heard her foot hit the first rung of the ladder and soon after felt her presence next to him. He looked over to her, she'd been crying, she'd been doing that a lot lately. It wasn't always because of him, sometimes it was because of Daniel, and sometimes it was because of work. Tonight though... this was all him.

He pushed himself over enough for her to squeeze onto the chair with him. She'd brought a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and placed it over their legs. She put her head on his shoulder and wrapped both arms around his waist. She didn't say anything, simply clung to him. He clung to her. They clung to each other as though it would save them from themselves.

* * *

 **AN: Hmm, so not all is well in this fairytale land after all.  
I do check this for mistakes before I publish but sometimes I fail, so just let me know.  
Reviews are always nice. xx  
**


	2. Blackened Abyss

**Blackened Abyss**

She could remember the second he started to pull away from her and it made her want to scream. She wanted to blame it all on Daniel's departure and the affect it had on Jack, but it was more than that. They'd sacrificed basic freedoms of a relationship in order to try to have one and in doing so didn't consider the way it'd turn them against each other. She'd never been one to argue, and yet something about the way he pulled away made her push.

This was one night in a long series of nights they shared her bed and yet despair made its way forward again. It felt sometimes, on days like these, that the only connection between them was the way their bodies moved in perfect unison. Her heart ached at the thought and she rolled to her side with a sad sigh. In the past, he'd have moved with her, his arm over her waist pulling her into him as he slept. She supposed that perhaps this was what hurt the most, the thought that even in his sleep he didn't want to hold her anymore. She couldn't sleep though and slipped from the bed silently. She couldn't run, they were in her house and she had nowhere else to go. Her mind ran through the day, trying to make sense of it all.

 _"Carter for crying out loud, I don't want to talk about it!"_

 _She flinched at his tone and the use of her surname. They were in the privacy of her living room, and his words stung._

 _"Jack... I'm not saying I want it right now... I'm just saying that I'm not getting any younger, despite your insistence at my apparent youthful immortality. You were gone for so long, and I had begun to think I would never get you back. I knew that if I ever did, I'd tell you all of this. Everything I'm thinking and feeling."_

 _"Well you did, you rescued me from Ba'al, and you've told me everything you needed to tell me. What the hell do you want from me? I can't promise you a happy future of babies and a white picket fence and a dog. We spend half our time making sure the NID doesn't have the information they need to bring the whole damned SGC down and you want to throw that away to pop out a couple of babies to try to keep this broken, messed up relationship going?"_

 _Tears welled up in her eyes and she dropped the glass she was holding, not bothering to show remorse or regret when it shattered over their bare feet. She turned and walked away from him, ignoring his protests for her to come back to him, that he was sorry, that he didn't mean it. He tried to follow but she went to the bathroom, slammed the door in his face and locked it before he could even think about opening it. She washed the glass and whiskey from her feet, silently letting her tears flow from frustration and despair._

She'd been sitting in her car in the garage for over an hour before he came to find her. He'd heard her close the door quietly as she left the room. Her keys were in the ignition, but the engine was cold and quiet. He walked around to the passenger side and lowered himself in. They sat silently, the air thick with the space between them.

"It isn't just this." She said with a finality that cut through his chest. "We tried, Jack. I tried so damn hard. I want more than this with you but..."

"But I can't give it to you."

"No. Jack. You won't give it to me. There's a difference." Realistically, Sam knew she was being irrational. She couldn't expect him to give her what she wanted right now, and honestly she didn't feel ready to. She'd only really brought it up but she'd promised herself she would, now she desperately wished she could take it back. But, that hypothetical can of worms was open.

Jack said nothing and a moment later he left the car again, cold air flooding in as he stepped out. A while later she heard his truck start outside and back away. Making her way back inside, she fell asleep on the couch until her 0530 alarm told her it was time to start another day.

* * *

They interacted in a professional manner, if perhaps slightly colder than the way they'd interacted before. The day was uneventful, a routine exploration followed by a few hours of lab work and it was already far past time to go home. A soft beep from her watch told her it was midnight and she made her way through to the cafeteria to grab a sandwich before trying to get a few hours sleep.

It wasn't necessarily unusual for him to not invite her home, it was unusual though that he'd made no attempt to tell her he was leaving base for the day... then again, she was only assuming he'd left because she hadn't seen him in hours. She pushed it to the back of her mind as she sat on her bed with her notebook and took a bite of her sandwich. The tasteless bread and fillings was more unappealing than usual and Sam closed the packaging and put it on the table next to her. Closing her eyes she tried to imagine a reality in which she'd never have to make this choice. She knew they existed, she just wished she knew what they felt like.

* * *

Waking at 0515, Sam showered and changed her fatigues before grabbing a fresh coffee.

"Morning, Carter." His rough voice grumble from behind her.

She nodded curtly at him. "You're here early."

"Never left."

"Oh, neither."

"I know."

The stood there for a moment before he cleared his throat and motioned that he was going to leave this incredibly awkward situation.

That was all the interaction they had in that day.

* * *

Two weeks later and nothing had changed, neither of them had talked about anything other than work and it didn't seem as though either of them would be the first to break until he came into her lab at 0300 one Sunday morning.

She placed her pen to hold the page in the book she was referencing and closed it before looking up at him. He'd sat on a stool across the table form her.

"Can I help you, sir?" Her tone was tired, trying to portray how little she wanted to do this right now.

"I think we both know what's best here, Sam. Neither of us is willing to say it though."

Her breath hitched and her stomach knotted. "Don't say it then," she replied softly, knowing it would make no difference whether he said it or not. "You don't need to, Jack. We'll just go back to how we were before. We're already half there anyway." It was a small stab but she saw it hurt him and while part of her felt bad, the other was almost grateful he still hurt for her, just a little.

"Yeah... well. I guess it didn't go how we'd planned."

"It rarely does, sir." She afforded him a small smile to let him know she would _honestly_ be alright given enough time. She'd been preparing herself for this for the past two weeks, longer if she were honest with herself.

"We always find our way home though." His words weren't much, a small promise that maybe, at the end of all of this, the end of them as SG-1 and this as their home, maybe they'd find each other again. For now though... no for now this wasn't right and they both knew it.

"Jack..." her eyes searched his; she didn't want to say it, not really. She just needed to know he knew that she still loved him, regardless.

His eyes softened for her once more. "I know." He reached his hand across the lab bench and touched her fingers softly. "I hope you know too."

She tried to smile but was sure it came out as more of a grimace. "Yeah. I know."

"Alas, if only love were enough to save us from ourselves." He removed his hand and stood from the stool. "You really should consider sleeping you know, Carter. It enhances brain performance."

She let out a soft laugh. "I've never been good at sleeping."

"Me neither," he said as he turned to walk from the room. "Seriously though, go to bed. We have a mission tomorrow. That's an order."

 **AN: Alas, heartbreak.**


	3. The Characteristics of a Chimera

**AN: Chapter 3. In case you haven't noticed these chapters follow closely with the episodes through season 6, 7, and 8. This one is Chimera. I hate this episode. The heartbreak. I had to rewatch it to write this. I hope you appreciate that.**

 ** _The Characteristic of a Chimera_**

 ** _"Guess I'm ruled by my heart,  
built a life and I tore it all apart.  
It's just not our time,  
but you'll find a new love, and you'll be fine." – Ween _**

He wondered if she knew it was a year to the day since he left her house and never went back, he pondered it as he made his way to the elevator with a mixture of sadness and determination. He missed her so damn much it killed him. He stepped into the elevator and stood with his hand against the wall. He had no plan to get her back; he'd always hoped they'd fall back together the way they'd fallen apart. He was snapped out of his thoughts as the elevator door slid open to reveal Carter and Daniel. Sam entered and Daniel didn't. She stood too close to him, yet he wanted to pull her closer still. She started humming a tune he recognised and his stomach sank. She'd hummed it absentmindedly a few times around his house when they'd first got together. He knew in that instant he was too late and she was seeing someone.

"Humming?"

"I am?"

"You are."

"Sorry."

They stood in an awkward silence. It hadn't always been awkward. Most of the time since they'd split they'd remained amicable, friends even, but it was missing something. The tenderness she'd shown him had dissipated.

"What's his name?" He asked, trying to appear nonchalant as his stomach churned awaiting her answer.

 _Please tell me I'm wrong, please._

"Now why would..."

"Humming."

"Pete."

"Pete?" He wanted to vomit. He'd winged the rest of the elevator ride pretending to want to hear about how it wasn't serious or anything.

"Look, Carter. It's none of my business. I'm just happy you're happy about something other than... quarks."

The look she'd given him when he said quarks made him want to melt back into her, tell her he was sorry, that he needed her and that they'd find a way to make it work because they always do. He didn't say anything of the sort and wished her _luck_. He exited at 28 and immediately called Teal'c to get him to meet him in the gym.

Fifteen minutes later he was with Teal'c. Well, more to the point, he was using Teal'c as a punching back that would occasionally hit back.

"Have you considered telling Major Carter how you feel?"

"She knows," he threw a punch at Teal'c who deflected it with ease.

"How can you be certain of that? She has at many points enquired similarly regarding yourself."

"You guys talk about me?" Jack stopped trying to hit Teal'c and simply stared at him.

"Indeed. Once it became apparent Major Carter required assistance, I offered to teach her a method of relaxation, not dissimilar to Kelno'reem. We continue our practice to this day, though she speaks of you less often than before, I have no doubt that she still cares deeply for you."

"Cares enough to go ahead and date someone else."

"I believe it is you who suggested they move on."

"She told you about that too? Is there anything she kept secret?"

Teal'c cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrow. "I did not think you would mind me helping Major Carter."

Jack pulled the padded gloves from his hands and threw them with excessive force toward the supply cabinet. "No... it's not that."

"She declined to reveal the reason for the coldness between the two of you, but I suggested she endeavour to repair a friendship with you during the first of our sessions."

"Considered applying for the base counsellor position, T?"

"I do not hold the appropriate qualifications for such a position, O'Neill."

Jack just shook his head. "That was joke, T."

Teal'c nodded, unsure as to why his desire to assist his friends during their emotional turmoil was odd. In fact, it was he who believed the Tau'ri were odd in their inability to solve seemingly simply problems. From what he understood, Major Carter wished to discuss the future and O'Neill had declined. Stubborn as they both were, they let that be the end of their relationship. It was not lost on Teal'c though, that the death and subsequent Ascension of Daniel Jackson had strained O'Neill, and in turn pushed Major Carter away.

"Perhaps, you should try discussing your emotions with each other, instead of me." Teal'c offered as they made their way to the locker room.

"Sound advice, T."

* * *

It had been a hell of a day, what with capturing Osiris, getting Sarah back, an all out gun fight with a Goa'uld on a suburban street. The clincher of the bad day though was looking across the street to Carter lying with a civilian only to be introduced to her ' _Pete'_.

 _What a stupid name. Pete. Like Peat Moss. Dirt. Heh._

Jack was in the hall and could hear Carter informing Pete of his rights and the nondisclosure agreement he'd signed before telling him about the Stargate. He felt ashamed, like he was eavesdropping, while not the case, he felt awkward nonetheless. There was one thing he'd always thought he'd have with Carter, their work. Now she could share it with someone who could give her everything she wanted and still be able to understand why she couldn't be home for a 6pm meal everyday; he felt her slip away from him, the last thread that held them together breaking in an instant of a word. Turning, he walked away from her. He'd prevented her from happiness once before, he'd be damned if he'd do it again.

 _It's for the best._

Unfortunately, no amount of telling himself that made any of this feel any better.

 _Just let her be happy._

"Jack!" Daniel's voice rang out followed by the sounds of feet running up behind him.

"Daniel."

Teal'c followed closely behind and nodded his greetings.

"Hey Jack, we wanted to tell you..." As Daniel spoke Teal'c rose the classic eyebrow at him... "Uh, I wanted to tell you that I'll hate Pete if you want."

It was kind of nice hearing it, if he was being honest with himself. "You really shouldn't do that."

"I know, I don't like him anyway so it's no biggy."

"I appreciate it, really. But be nice."

Teal'c spoke for the first time. "I will remain impartial."

It made Jack laugh and feel warm knowing that regardless of it all, his team was still his team.

"So, big plans for tonight?" Jack looked at his two closest friends.

"Indeed, Daniel Jackson has agreed to view a movie with me."

Jack set his eyes on Daniel, silently asking _"Star Wars?"_ Daniel nodded.

"Great, count me in!" Jack's reply visibly shocked Daniel and pleased Teal'c. "Well, I gotta do some paperwork but meet in Teal'c quarters in an hour?"

Jack left with a wave. Turning to Teal'c, Daniel asked "should we invite Sam?"

Teal'c gave an incredulous look, "I do not believe that would be wise."

"Right, yeah. Popcorn?"

They continued their path to the commissary to get cake and supplies, hopeful for a good night.

* * *

 **AN: Oh Daniel, you so sweet.  
Pre-update warning, next chapter is based on Heroes and is definitely NSFW. Not crucial to the story line so if you're not of consensual age in your country, please just skip over it. I'll repeat this at the beginning of the next chapter.  
** **Reviews are nice. xx**


	4. The Consequences of Heroic Acts

**AN: Just a reiteration that this chapter has mature content.**

* * *

 ** _The Consequences of Heroic Acts_**

"I'm really glad you're okay, sir." There was desperation in her eyes that he hadn't seen before. The loss of Janet was hitting the base hard, but it had crushed any semblance of strength to be seen in his 2IC and despite the constant strain between them of late, he took her into his arms and simply held her like he used to. She smelt of rose scented shampoo, he placed a kiss to her head he rocked her gently. She was gripping to his jacket for dear life and sobs of terror and despair rocked through her.

"Wanna get out of here?" he asked, not really knowing why.

She nodded. "Yours."

No one questioned as he walked her out of the base, one arm over her shoulder. Everyone who needed to know anything knew the loss they were all experiencing. She was asleep in the passenger seat of his truck before he'd pulled out of the complex, and stayed that way until the crunch of gravel under the tires announced they'd arrived at their destination.

She dropped her handbag by the door and closed it behind her. She heard her phone ring but let it go to voicemail. Pete was out of town and she'd promised he'd call her yesterday. Only yesterday turned into today and while she knew who she _should_ be turning to for comfort, here she was.

"Alcohol?" He looked over to Sam who was kicking her boots off by the front door.

"Yeah," she replied sadly. "The stronger the better."

"You betcha." He snatched a bottle of scotch from the fireplace mantle and pour two generous serves before handing one to Sam who'd made her way next to him. She transferred all the liquid to her mouth in one gulp and placed the glass down for another. He followed suit and poured two fresh glasses. She downed it in one go again. He raised an eyebrow questioningly at her and she merely glared back at him, silently telling him shut the hell up, drop it, and pour more alcohol. He obliged and put the lid on the bottle before making her sit on the couch.

"You have to sip that, this is really good scotch. You're supposed to enjoy it."

She let out a hollow laugh. "Oh I am enjoying it."

"No you're enjoying getting drunk, there's a difference."

She huffed at him and sat more comfortably, pulling her legs up underneath her and resting some of her weight on Jack.

"Janet could hold her alcohol really well. Drank me under the table whenever we had the chance. Did you know that?"

Jack chuckled softly, "I did not, I've gotta say it doesn't surprise me though."

Sighing, she rested her head on Jacks shoulder. "It seems so unfair. She spent her life trying to save everyone but in the end none of us could save her."

Jack didn't know what to say and opted to say nothing, placing his arm over her shoulder and pulling her closer before placing a soft kiss into her hair. He felt her eyelashes fluttered against his neck and it made him tingle. The moment was promptly interrupted by a buzz and beep coming from his pants pocket. He pulled his phone out and read the message from Daniel.

"Tell him to pick up pizza and come over," Sam's voice was soft and she hadn't bothered to move from her position, not needing to see the screen to know who it was from. She seemed to notice she was still in her BDU's. "Can you ask him to grab my change of clothes from my locker. They're in a black duffel bag in the top."

"He wanted to know where you were, he thought you'd absconded."

Sam giggled and he suppressed a groan. She knew immediately and decided to rub it in. "Sorry, sir. No giggling, got it." She giggled again.

"You're dangerous, Carter." His voice was guttural and he knew he needed to stand up. "I'm moving to beer, this stuff is expensive." He motioned to his nearly empty glass sitting on the table in front of them.

"Beer sounds good. You told him pizza?"

Nodding, Jack moved his sore body to the kitchen and grabbed a six pack out to bring with him. He rummaged in the pantry before he found some plain crisps.

"Heads up!"

Carter turned just in time to see the packet of crisps hurtling toward her and expertly intercepted them.

"Crisps and pizza?" she asked quizzically.

"And beer!" he held up the six pack enthusiastically.

"All the makings of a well rounded meal."

When O'Neill made his way back to the lounge room Sam had shuffled back so she was nestled into the corner of the couch and was seemingly ignorant of the ringing coming from the vicinity of her handbag near the door.

He ignored it the first time, and it stopped for a moment before starting to ring again. The second time it started he saw a flicker of recognition in Carters eyes followed by steeled determination.

"Uh, you gonna answer that? It's probably Pete."

She looked directly at him and he thought he was about to throw something heavy at his head. "No, sir."

"No you're not going to answer it or no it's not Pete." He cringed the second he asked it and if looks could kill he'd be dead a thousand times over.

"It's my personal phone, sir."

 _So it is Pete and she's not going to answer it._

The indirect information made him curious.

"How's it going with Pete these days?"

"Are you kidding me?" She glared at him. "Fine, they're fine. I just don't feel like talking to anyone yet."

 _And yet here she is._ He felt slightly smug at the knowledge he was more desirable for comfort. She could tell him an abridged version of what happened, and Pete would have enough knowledge to fill in the gaps, so while he could understand it was obvious that Sam thought Jack could understand _her_ better.

"What happened to us, Jack?"

The question made him spit some of his beer out. He recovered quickly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve and swallowing the remainder of the mouth full.

"Nothing happened to _us_ , Sam. We were foolish enough to think we could justify our relationship. I think it's fair to say we probably came to the same conclusion before we ended. We can't justify risking everything the SGC is for our own selfish desires."

She stared at her untouched beer pensively. "I still wanted to try."

Jack sighed. "We both wanted to try, Sam. I still _want_ to try. The circumstances haven't changed for us. As long as the SGC needs us, we need to not need each other."

Daniel walked in unannounced, breaking the first real heart to heart since they'd ended. Teal'c followed holding two boxes of what was obviously pizza and a third mystery box he soon announced to be donuts. Sam looked into Jacks eyes for a moment, trying to convey everything she'd wanted to say before hesitantly removing herself from the couch to grab the boxes from Teal'c and place them on the coffee table.

"You grab my clothes, Daniel?" Daniel chucked the duffel bag at Sam who gave him a grateful smile. Daniel looked tired, and she had to admit Teal'c looked a little worse for wear too. "Thanks, I'll be right back. She took her bag down the hall to the spare bedroom and changed into a skirt, blouse and cardigan, carefully folding her BDU's. Sitting on the bed, she ran her hands through her hair and braced herself. She could do this. Maybe.

* * *

Three hours and copious amounts of alcohol later Daniel was passed out on the couch and Teal'c was attempting to find some peace in meditation in the spare room. Sam placed a blanket over Daniel and walked out to the back porch expecting to find Jack. He was nowhere to be seen, Sam was about to head back instead when she heard a thud followed by a string of expletive from around the side. She followed the noise to find Jack nursing his hand in front of a suspiciously fist sized hole in the boarding of his house. Jumping to action, she walked up to him and took his hand into hers, assessing the damage. Finding nothing more than scrapes and bruises and went to let it go, except his fingers wrapped around her and pulled her toward him. She looked up, about to question him, instead being met by his lips against hers.

She put her hands against his chest, with every intention to push him away but instead scrunching his shirt in her fists and pulling them closer together. He took a step forward, pinning her between the side of the house and his body. Part of her wished they'd even pretended to hesitate. She moaned against his lips and moved her hands to the belt of his pants, buttoning and unzipping as fast as she could managed with her trembling fingers. Her body felt on fire, desperation calling from every inch of her and he radiated with the same. His hands roamed her side before bundling up her skirt and slipping the crotch of her panties to the side. He ran a finger over her and felt her shudder against him. Taking his bottom lip between hers, she bit him roughly, hoping he'd take the hint already.

Seemingly understanding, Jack pushed her panties letting them fall on the ground and she stepped out of them. Spinning her 90 degrees, he pushed her back so she was sitting on a table, leaving her the perfect height. He moved his lips to her neck and nipped at the soft skin. He pushed into her in one swift move, eliciting a longing moan. He wasn't gentle, thrusting into her roughly as she muffled her noise by biting roughly into his shoulder and scraping her nails down his back under his shirt. She moaned something that sounded something like a mixture of 'Jack' and 'fuck' as he felt her tighten around him, and he went with her, his rough fingernails digging into her hip.

It took a moment before he felt Sam tense underneath him. "Jack." Her voice was hard, any passion gone. "Get off me."

He complied quickly, sheepishly redoing his pants and righting his shirt. He waited for her to replace all lost articles of clothing before talking. "Sam..."

"I have to go." She walked past him and headed toward the porch, hoping to god Daniel was still as asleep as he was twenty minutes ago.

"Sam, wait one second, please." His hand wrapped over her shoulder gently but firmly.

Shrugging his hand off, she turned toward him and stared at him for a long moment. He said nothing.

"What?" her voice was impatient, filled with anger and despair. Tears threatened to make way and she repeated her question. "What Jack?"

God she was angry. He could see it blazing in her eyes. He knew it wasn't just him and them that was making her irate. It was everything they put themselves through, fighting a seemingly unwinnable battle as their day job. The fury in her eyes was for every loss they'd had because of everything they fought for.

"Sam, it really will be okay. One day." He was talking not just about them, but in the hopes she could see that one day the fight would be over.

The fury in her eyes dissipated slightly to give way to a look of saddened doubt. "Yeah, maybe. One day." She shivered as a breeze blew over her. "Hey, I'm going to get Teal'c to take me home. You'll be right to get Daniel to safety tomorrow?"

Though he hadn't really expected to stay, he was disappointed nonetheless. "Sure thing. I'll see you on Monday, Carter."

She steeled herself nodded, beginning the process of pretending none of this had happened. "Yes, sir. Bright and early."

He smiled gently. "Yeah well, at least early."


	5. The Newest Orders

**AN: Sorry it took me so long, this underwent multiple rewrites.**

* * *

 ** _The Newest Orders_**

Jack stood in the President Hayes' office; the President had removed his shoes and was pouring two glasses of whiskey. "It's been an odd few weeks, would you not agree Colonel?" He asked, passing one of the two glasses to Jack who took it, eyeing it suspiciously. Was he really supposed to drink with the President?

"Yes, sir. Odd would be one way to describe it, though admittedly, not entirely out of the ordinary."

That was if you could call his day job ordinary in the first place. It wasn't the first time he was subject to the distinct possibility of death in the line of duty. Hell, this _was_ a suicide mission in the first place. His assignment just got extended a little. He had to admit, he was nearly 100% sure he was going to die on that god forsaken continent. One thing he wouldn't admit was that it was Carter's face in his final moments of consciousness, riddled with despair with just a hint of determination, that made him not quite so sure of his imminent demise. He knew as well as anyone that her will was a force to be reckoned with, and that if there was a way to save him, she'd make damn sure it happened.

Hayes broke into his thought. "You have been a shining beacon of what this program is about, you have demonstrated exceptional leadership and strength. You lead your team through hell, and saved the world in the process."

Jack cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Thanks... sir. Though the credit can't really be all mine. I wouldn't have stood a chance without the rest of the SGC behind me."

Nodding his agreement, Hayes' got to the point. "There are going to be changes, and while General Hammond can't be here right now, he recommended I ask you to run the SGC."

"What about Doctor Weir? I must say, she did just fine." His shock had to be obvious on his face, if not palpable in his voice.

The President chuckled. "You're the man for the job, and Elizabeth Weir will be heading down to Antarctica for a while. I believe she was quite excited to be given the news. You'll be promoted, of course."

"Again, thank you, sir. Truly. Though I must say this is quite unorthodox coming from yourself. I normally just get this sort of news in a memo."

Hayes indicated for him to take a seat. "You don't strike me as the memo reading type, though you're correct. I'm telling you this as a lead in to my next question, which happens to not be memo material." He paused and observed the Colonel in front of him. There was something that George had seen in this man, and he could see it too. It was integrity, regardless of the insubordination reflected in his file and his blatant disregard for orders, the Colonel O'Neill seated in front of him was a man of integrity, ready to do what was right, regardless of bureaucracy. The kind of man he needed if the SGC was going to survive his term in office. "I am aware of the arrangement between yourself, Major Carter, and the previous President."

"Ah." Jack didn't offer more, unsure where this was going. He'd just assumed the news would filter upward that they were no longer a 'thing'.

"I've chosen to ignore it until this point; there were significantly more pressing issues to deal with. That said I now need to know what's going on."

"Nothing, sir. Well, there's nothing now. There was. We decided it was in everyone's best interest that we discontinue. If I might though, sir... it's important to note that she has been an excellent 2IC and never let anything personal get in the way of the job."

"From what I've heard and witnessed these past weeks it would seem she's an incredible officer. Smart to boot!"

"Oh she's not just smart, sir. She is singularly brilliant."

"High praise. I suppose then that you would agree then with General Hammond's sentiment when he tells me that Major Carter deserves to be promoted?"

Jack's heart soared with pride, "Yes, sir. Without a doubt. She has always shown the utmost integrity and pride in her position as an Air Force officer. In addition, she has one many occasions proven to be a strong leader. Most recently of course, she took command of SG-1 when I was no longer capable to do so, and in that command, successfully lead us back across the galaxy to find the Antarctic outpost. I'd say that's well beyond the rank of Major."

"Well, that settles that then. I don't suppose it really needs to be said, but I'll say it anyway. Any agreement between yourselves and the previous administration no longer stands, I'm sure you'll also appreciate the necessity to ensure SG-1 doesn't receive undue privileges due to your previous command and the obvious bond that would have formed."

"No, sir. Of course."

"Excellent, well I'll be sure to have all the relevant information sent on to you." Hayes opened the door to show Jack out with a smile.

"I'll try to read my memos." He quipped, trying not to think feel overwhelmed by the changes coming their way.

 _Can I really be the boss? That just doesn't seem safe..._

* * *

She hadn't necessarily expected the promotion. She had a small suspicion, but was thrilled nonetheless. She met him in his new office; he had boxes untouched, only a laptop on his desk. "Sir." She announced her presence as she closed the door behind her.

"Ah, Lieutenant Colonel!" He exclaimed with slightly too much enthusiasm.

"Brigadier General." She nodded at him. "Quite the change, isn't it?" She motioned around the office.

"Sure is, I didn't want the office. Apparently it's mandatory."

"One of the downfalls of promotion I suppose." She was stalling for time and she knew he knew.

"What can I do for you, Carter?"

"Well, I was wondering who would be given command of SG-1, now that you're obviously far too busy and important." She grinned at him, knowing he would still probably prefer to be leading their team through the gate, even if he was _almost_ ready for a desk job. Still, it didn't hurt to tease him a bit.

He returned her smile, a glint in his eyes. He'd been holding back telling her his decision regarding SG-1 until he'd had a chance to talk to her about it. "Well, Carter. You're a Lieutenant Colonel now. We've had Majors with less experience than you take a command. Who do you think would be my first choice?"

She gawped. "Me?" She shook her head incredulously. "I mean... I've never really had a command before."

Jack scoffed with amusement. "Are you kidding me, Carter? You might not have had one, officially. Don't you think it says something that Hammond was willing to let you lead SG-1 in my stead? You have always been a compass for the team. I don't think _anyone_ has any doubts that you're extremely capable."

She chewed on her lip pensively, and Jack could almost see her brain working at a million miles an hour. "What if it doesn't work out?"

"I have every confidence that won't happen."

She was grinning again, a small flutter of excitement in her stomach, mixed with a healthy dose of dread. "Ok."

"You're so easy to persuade, it's ridiculous." He watched her intently, perplexed when he saw her smile drop. "What's up?" His response was a touch too fast, too obvious he'd been paying slightly too much attention.

She didn't look up at him. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking that this was one of the 'strings'."

"Ah." What the hell did she want him to say? "I thought you didn't want the strings anymore."

She stiffened her shoulders and looked at him. "Sorry, sir. I simply wanted to clarify the situation."

"I really didn't think it needed any clarification, Carter." He spat his words and he saw she was taken aback by his anger. He didn't know why he was so angry now. Probably because she brought it up. She was the one who moved on, and it wasn't so much her being with someone else that made him angry. More so that she was hesitating in doing so, seeking some form of plea from him, asking her to just wait... and he wanted to, if he was being honest with himself. Unfortunately he also saw a real opportunity for Sam to finally be happy. She couldn't do that if she was holding onto him. He didn't enjoy the words, but they had to be said. "You've got your Pete and I've got my office. Good deal." His voice hushed with his words, coming out as a hiss.

A flare of anger flashed across her eyes, and she open her mouth to retaliate, stopped only by a knock on the door.

"Come!" He called them to enter immediately.

Walter pushed the door open and stood in the doorway with an armful of files and a harried look on his face. "Sorry for interrupting, I need to go over these with you, Sir."

"Not a problem, I believe our newest Lieutenant Colonel was just leaving." If she didn't know better, she could've fooled herself into believing his words were a kindness. "Would that be all, Carter?"

Carter steadied herself for a moment, "Yes, sir. Congratulations again." She saluted her formal goodbye and walked past Walter. She had to get out of here. Now. She made her way to the locker room, grabbed her phone and hit the speed dial button Pete had programmed in for her.

The phone rang twice before he answered. "Hey you."

"Hey yourself. I have some good news, do you think there's any chance you can come down this way for dinner tonight?"

"Yeah!" Sam could hear the excitement in his voice and it made her smile softly. She found comfort in the fact she hadn't even thought his decline of her invitation was an option in the first place. "Look, it's 4:30 now." She grimaced slightly at his civilian use of time notation. It always took her a moment to translate the two. She'd grown up on military time. "I could be there by 7."

"Sounds good." She looked over to see Teal'c enter the locker room. "I gotta go, I'll see you then."

* * *

 **AN: So in all honestly, what are you all thinking so far? Is it okay? Is it terrible? Should I just delete my FFn account and stop butchering the SG franchise?**


	6. An Affinity for You

**AN: Sorry this one took so long, I've been having some medical issues. I do have multiple chapters completed, I just have to edit them and some days I'm too lethargic to even sit at my computer so again, I apologise. I hope you like it. Reviews always cheer me up and egg me on to get another chapter up. Thank you to everyone who does, and thank you to all who read but don't review. xx**

 ** _An Affinity for You_**

"She'd said yes. I can't believe she actually said yes. Granted, he didn't try to stop her, but for crying out loud she said yes!" Daniels voice filtered down the corridor into her lab, and Sam was sure he didn't know she could hear but it stung known the less. A month ago she'd said yes to Pete. This week she started wearing the ring to her lab. She knew it was a bad sign that it took her three weeks to actually wear the thing. Pushing the thought, using "off-world travel" and "uniform regulations" to justify pushing the niggling feeling of doubt to the back of her mind she popped her head out the door.

"I can hear you, Daniel." She called down the corridor toward Daniel and Teal'c who were walking toward her. Teal'c gave half a smirk when Daniel turned beet red.

When the two entered her lab Teal'c was talking to Daniel. "I did try to inform you that perhaps you should lower your voice, Daniel Jackson."

Sam grinned at him. "That's a lovely way to tell someone to shut up, Teal'c."

"I take it you don't want to talk about it then?"

She glowered at Daniel. "Daniel, I know you see this as some fairytale situation in which everyone _you_ want to be together actually gets to be together. I'm marrying Pete, end of story, and I'm happy about it." Her voice betrayed her conviction slightly and Daniel didn't miss it.

"Yeah, 'k."

"Daniel Jackson and I were going to purchase frozen alcoholic beverages, would you care to join us Samantha?"

"Margaritas," Daniel clarified. "And how come she doesn't get a surname?"

Teal'c declined to answer.

"Tempting as that sounds, I'm going to meet a friend for dinner." It was an outright lie, and all three in the room knew it. Teal'c didn't take it personally; he could see why she didn't really want to be team bonding right now. Daniel's obvious hostility toward her decision to marry someone other than Jack tended to put a dampener on things. They all knew he wasn't being deliberately malicious, unfortunately the rest of SG-1 were privy to the knowledge that Jack and Sam had tried to give it a go, and it hadn't worked. Daniel was set in the knowledge that it was poor timing and decision making, that if they were every going to work it had to be _completely_ okay. He was certain that his two best friends could make it work if they weren't feeling guilty all the time because they felt they were jeopardising the SGC.

Resisting the temptation to lecture Daniel some more, she turned to Teal'c. "Are you coming back to base tonight, Teal'c?"

He knew she was silently asking to join him for his now futile practise of Kelno'reem. He still found a relaxing purpose from it, and it allowed him time with a close friend. He nodded his head affirmative and Sam responded with a small smile.

Teal'c informed her of his return two hours later, and joined him in the commissary for dinner. "Are you well, Samantha?" He asked her when she sat down. She was facing the door and saw Jack approach the entrance. He looked directly at her and stopped in his tracks. He hesitated, gave her a faint smile, and turned the way he came.

Teal'c waited patiently for her answer that did not come and they finished their dinner in silence. Later they found themselves seated on cushions surrounded by candles. One of the things that had drawn Sam to Teal'c had been their ability to find comfort in silence. Their day to day duties saw them experience chaos in its extremes, and with the lack of comfort she'd found in her growing personal life it was a blissful time. She'd found herself thinking more about the discomfort she felt regarding Pete and their impending nuptials.

"You do not appear to be trying to relax, Samantha." Teal'c chided her gently. "Perhaps you would like to talk instead?"

Sam sighed. "I don't know why everyone has to be so weird about this. It's not like Colonel O'Neill and I were ever going to be a forever thing."

Teal'c frowned at her. "Do you believe that?"

"Believe what?" Sam was frustrated beyond belief of anything.

"Do you believe that you will never be able to have a future with Jack O'Neill."

"Teal'c, I can't leave the SGC. We have started a battle that we simply cannot walk away from. We took out Anubis, the _biggest threat_ and now Ba'al stands in his place. Nothing we do seems to make any difference."

"And you believe it is the fight against the Goa'uld that prevents your union?"

Sam sighed. She didn't know if it was _only_ that, but she couldn't think of another reason at this stage and was tired of talking about it. "Can we just Kelno'reem please, Teal'c? Turns out I don't want to discuss it after all."

He bowed his head gently and reached his hand across to hers. "Perhaps it would be better if we were to simply enjoy each others company. Kelno'reem requires a level of inner peace that you do not possess at this moment. I have recently purchased a digital video disc of the original three Star Wars films. Would you care to watch them with me?"

"All three?"

"Do you have plans this evening?"

She hesitated. She was supposed to be meeting with Pete after he finished settling into his new job at 2130. She shook her head, "no, no plans. Let's do this."

She'd make it up with Pete later. At least that's what she told herself to justify the small betrayal. She whipped out her phone and sent of a quick text message.

 _"Sorry, something came up at work. Will let you know when I'm free."_ Pausing, she hovered her finger over send before editing it to add _"xx"_ to the end. She never wrote kisses and hugs at the end of messages when she had to send them. For the most part she didn't like messaging at all. Pete liked it though, and so she bent her will around his and gave a little.


	7. The Sacrifices We Make

**AN: Shout out to dpdp who I realised has reviewed each chapter! Love it!  
And to every other person who reads/reviews, again, you're all awesome. This chapter didn't actually exist until about an our ago. Then I had an idea and my fingers did the walking.**

* * *

 **The Sacrifices We Make**

The base was the quietest it had been in a very long time, with the Hak'tyl and all their horses safely relocated and a small break missions, only a small few remained. Sam relished in the silence as she made her way through the corridors to her lab. With all the chaos of the past week she felt behind on her projects, and planned to spend her free night and following day relaxing in the best way she knew how; with safety glasses donned, immersing herself in technology beyond her understanding. The elevator arrived and as she stepped in, Daniel came running making the elevator moments before the doors shut.

"Hey, Sam."

"Daniel. I thought you'd be off base by now." She grinned at him.

"Are you kidding me? And miss the chance to revel in the rare silence. Did you know it's been over six hours since the Stargate was activated? Walter actually left the control room to get his own coffee, while he was still on shift!"

"By god, it's a miracle!"

There was a long silence between them; Daniel tapped his foot as the elevator made its slow ascent.

"I don't hate you, Sam." Daniel blurted out without warning.

"What?" Sam choked out her surprise. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Reaching out, Daniels hand hit the button to halt the elevator before continuing. "I don't hate you, or your decision to marry Pete."

Sam scoffed. "Well you could've fooled me." She wasn't normally so defensive, but she was tired of fighting all the voices around her telling her that Pete wasn't right, including her own.

"Sam, please. Hear me out on this. When the Hak'tyl were here, I overheard a conversation between a small group of them. Actually, they were commenting on Jack's suitability as a mate. They described you as Jack's 'Kek'"

"Death?" Sam asked, confusion evident in her voice.

"Ah, well, kind of. More like weakness in this case. My point is that I understand how hard the decision to let go is for you. I didn't see it before, I was so caught up in the idea that you were abandoning a chance with Jack to realise that this choice you have to make, the decision to marry Pete... it's just part of this war. It's no different to Teal'c leaving his family behind on Chulak, or saying goodbye to Ishta. It's just one of the sacrifices we make." Daniel finished by reactivating the elevator. "I don't like him, I don't think I will because I don't think he's worthy of you. I do, however, know that you're not making this decision lightly."

"You're telling me this because the Hak'tyl think I'm the General's weakness?"

Daniel laughed softly. "Actually, no. I'm telling you this because you're one of my best friends and you deserve to be able to make your own choices without me being a complete arse about it."

Sam turned to Daniel, tears in her eyes. A part of her had liked Daniel's displeasure with her decision to marry Pete. It had been a reminder of everything she was giving up. This acceptance though... was more than anything she could've asked for. Before she could think she jumped onto Daniel, embracing him tightly, her legs wrapped around her waist and her face buried in the crook of his shoulder and neck. "Thank you," she murmured between her sobs. Daniel supported her, unsure whether to laugh or cry with her. The doors of the elevator opened to reveal a very confused Siler.

Sam came to her senses and released her grip on Daniel, lowering her feet to the ground again. She opened her mouth to issue an explanation but Siler held up his hand. "I don't want to know, I've seen so much worse." He pushed past them into the elevator, pressing the door close button the moment the pair's feet were in the corridor.

Sam broke down in a fit of laughter, not moving from the corridor until General O'Neill rounded the corner. She stood to attention and tried to straighten her face to no avail.

"Do I want to know?" He asked suspiciously when confronted with the site of a composed Daniel and a Colonel he adored on the brink of a total hysterical meltdown.

"Probably not, sir. Though I suggest Siler deserves a bigger Christmas bonus this year."

The General scrunched his nose in confusion. "We don't get Christmas bonuses..."

Daniel voiced his opinion. "Well, then Siler should get his first one this year."

"I'll keep that in mind. Why haven't you two left yet?"

"Enjoying the quiet. Why are you on this level?" Daniel quipped.

"Enjoying the quiet." _Actually I was looking for Sam, decided to turn around and avoid Sam. Now I've found Sam._

"Care to join us for a very late dinner? I hear there's cake."

"Cake for dinner, Danny boy, you sure know how to twist my arm."

* * *

 **AN: I just really didn't like Daniel being a butt.**


	8. The General and The Gemini

**AN - my bad on taking so long. I hope the chapter length makes up for it.**

* * *

 **The General and The Gemini**

"What did she show you, exactly. I need slightly more information that, and I quote 'enough to make me believe she wanted to destroy Fifth' end quote." It was exceptionally out of the ordinary for the General to question her regarding her reports, but these were exceptional circumstances. They'd allowed themselves to be lured in and betrayed by a replicator. The powers that be wanted answers from him, answers he couldn't give them with a report so lacking in detail.

"Sir, I am sorry. You have to trust me when I tell you I can't put more in there than I have."

He looked over her report. "You wrote hear that Fifth made her kill SG-1 in a simulation over and over again until she relinquished her bond with them."

Carter stiffened in front of him. "That's right, sir."

He sighed. "Is it possible that you misinterpreted what she was showing you based on your own experiences?"

"If you're asking if my emotions clouded my judgement sir, no. Her emotions clouded my judgement. She hated Fifth, despised him for what he made her do. She has every memory of mine from before then. He knew that she needed to release that bond or she'd never be compliant. She cared for you too, sir. I simply wasn't foresighted enough to see she intended to use the situation to her advantage. It was daft, but you didn't see it either."

"Watch it," he reprimanded her without much conviction.

 _I knew two Sam's would be trouble. One Sam has always been more than enough..._

"Sorry, sir. Would you like me to edit my report?"

Jack leaned back and ran his hands of his face. "No, no. It'll be fine. It's just... they'll be looking for a scapegoat for this mess and..."

"That's very kind of you sir."

"I didn't finish..."

"You wanted to make sure it wouldn't be me. I appreciate it, and I'll... add some more detail." She waved her hand at the report sitting abandoned on his desk.

"Well... yes."

 _How does she always know what I'm thinking?_

"Anything else, sir?"

"Uh... no. Go and get some rest. Yes it is an order, no it's not negotiable. Now."

She grinned at him and it made him melt. "Never been good at it, sir. I'll try though, for at least the next six hours." She stood as she talked.

"Make it twelve..." he muttered. "Personally, I'm getting off this base". She was nearly out the door when he found some courage he hadn't know he still had. "Hey, Carter. You wanna go get a drink or something?"

"You literally _just_ ordered me to get some rest, sir."

"Right." He spun his pencil between his fingers, an act he'd perfected in his final years of schooling. "You'll still be able to rest after."

She was hesitating; he could see it in the way she glanced between him and the exit to her side. "I'd love to but..." _Pete, work, a lack of self-control when under emotional stress..._ "I shouldn't." _Oh c'mon, that was weak._ "Because I have a lot to do after I've finished resting." _Nope, not much better._ "I told my brother I'd call him."

Jack looked at her like her head was spinning around. "One excuse would've been sufficient, Sam." His voice was quiet. "You're right, you shouldn't. My original order stands, you're not working for at least twelve hours. Don't make me call the boys upstairs and ban you from the complex. Go, rest, and call your brother. No work though!"

A small, reserved smile graced her lips. "Yes, sir." She didn't wait for a reiteration of her permission leave before rushing from the room before she made a fool of herself. Again. More so.

* * *

 _"Security breach, threat level foxtrot alpha six, all security teams to the gate room!" Walters voice rang through the air as the blast doors closed. A hand reached out in front of her, it was her hand only... it didn't feel like her hand. A sudden jolt in her back caught her attention, swinging around she saw the face of the perpetrator, eyes filled with a mixture of concern and fear... and something else she couldn't make out... sadness?_

 _He shot again. She had to shoot him. This was why she was here... Her gun poised, sight set on his chest. She hesitated. She wanted him to speak, to scream for her to stop._

 _"Finish him!" Fifths voice rang around her, coming from all directions. Then he was there, his presence, his command. She had to follow it..._

 _'Not Jack. I can't...' A small voice in the back of her mind screamed, it was dulled, as though someone had a pillow over the cause of the voice. Suddenly, arms swang around, her gun connected with Fifths head. The gun shattered but another appeared in her hands._

 _"Finish him!"_

Sam woke with a start, flashes of her dream dancing across her eyes before they adjusted to the dark of her quarters. She gasped as she thought a hand moved toward her, attempting to fight away what turned out to be nothing more than a shadow caused by her own movement. She realised she was covered in sweat, and groaned as she swung her legs over the side of the bed, standing as she reached for the light switch. Sharp pain rain through both feet, looking down she discovered the remains of what had been her water glass in shards on the ground, a mix of water and blood spread across the floor.

"Oh fudge. Oh... Oh god... OW!" The real pain hit her about two seconds after she looked at the mess underneath her feat. The amount of water on the floor made the blood loss look significantly more extensive than she was sure it was. Unfortunately, the logical side of her couldn't overcome the very physical nauseous and light-headedness. "Urg." She pulled her eyes away from the mess and set herself back on the bed, reaching out to push the assistance button.

 _Well at least this'll make some SF's day._

Moments later the door open to reveal a concerned looking SF.

"Are you okay, Ma'am?" He asked, before making his way around the mess to assess the damage. "Heh, that's quite a few shard. Did you smash the glass with your foot?" He grinned at her, trying to calm her a bit. She was still covered in sweat from her nightmare, and she was sure she looked a right mess.

"Unfortunately nothing quite so outlandish. I must've knocked the glass off in my sleep and well... I think the rest is somewhat self explanatory."

"I see, well I'll just quickly radio someone from the infirmary to come up here and help us out."

Sam grimaced. "Oh god no, please." The radio would be picked up by everyone on base and she _really_ didn't want to have to explain this to more people than absolutely necessary. "Can you ah... just use the phone to ask one of the nurses up with a wheel chair? Then we can get me to the infirmary and fix me up."

So she'd have to be wheeled to the elevator and make it to the infirmary with as few encounters as possible. Still, it was the lesser of two evils. At least it was relatively late. The SF made the call, and within another ten minutes she was loaded into the wheel chair and was waiting for the elevator to arrive. The doors slid open to reveal General O'Neill, in his civilian clothing, staring directly at Carter in her BDU pants and askew black tank top, she was sure she couldn't have looked worse if she'd tried and she felt a heavy blush rise to her cheeks. He merely smirked and stepped aside to make enough room for her and her escort. The elevator doors opened again before he spoke.

"Headed to the infirmary there, Carter?" His voice glowed with humour.

"Yes, sir. Minor accident. Nothing to worry about." _Please just go home. I'm fine._

To her dismay, he disembarked the elevator with them and followed next to her down the hall. "You know, when I said rest this isn't exactly what I had in mind for you."

Carter wanted to shrink into herself with embarrassment. "I thought you had rest planned for yourself, why are you still here?"

"Oh you know, minor gate emergency."

Sam looked at him with shock. "Why didn't you come and get me?"

"Well, I _was_ letting you sleep. I was with Siler in the infirmary when I was informed a nurse had been called to your quarters. Naturally, I feared the worst." He laughed softly, he wouldn't say it but he was almost glad it was a matter of bleeding feet. He still needed to get the details from her though. Her slightly elevated feet showed some larger shards of glass. If it wasn't both feet and if they weren't surrounded by concrete, he would've thought she'd tried to kick her way through a glass door.

Carter interrupted his thoughts. "You still should've called me. I assume since Siler's in the infirmary, it's fixed?" Siler seemed to always get hurt, but he usually got the job done first.

"Yep, right as rain. Something about a conduit... I don't know, there were sparks." He shrugged. He really didn't know what was wrong with it yet. Siler was in the middle of explaining his fixes when he managed to burn his hand on something he'd yet to replace the cover on.

He stayed quiet as they helped move her onto a bed and a nurse came over with a lot of saline, a needle, and some tweezers. He grimaced as they applied the local anaesthetic to the area, making small talk to keep her mind off it. When they'd determined she could no longer feel the soles of her feet, another nurse came over to assist with the painstaking process of removing the glass.

He sat by her side silently until the cleaning part was finished and the suturing began. The doctor finally made an appearance with some antibiotics and a tetanus shot. Apparently she was nearly due for one anyway.

Jack grimaced with her as they realised she'd not only have two incredibly painful feet but also a sore and stiff arm for two or so days to accompany it.

"Quite the mess you've gotten yourself into here," he said softly. The humour of the situation had died down and now he couldn't help but feel for her. He knew she hated being incapacitated at the best of time, and right now she had to deal with the emotional fallout from Replicator Carter and couldn't potter around to keep her mind off it. "You know you're going to go stir-crazy within a matter of hours if you stay alone in this state." He made sure no one was around to overhear their conversation.

"Oh, I'll be fine. I'll... read a book."

"Okay, so there's between four and eight hours taken care of. The nurse said 48 before you're able to walk properly. Until then it'll be gingerly hoping around for the bare essentials. I also happen to have 48 hours free and absolutely nothing to do with it. I have a spare bedroom, with an _attached_ bathroom. Less walking. Danny and Teal'c can come around."

She smiled as he became flustered trying to justify asking for her company for the second time in the day. Of course, this time he was offering his company to assist her through a rather painful two days. Nonetheless, it made her feel a warmth inside she'd almost forgotten could exist.

The nurse returned with a small bottle of pain killers and a warning that she was going to want them in half an hour when feeling returned to her feet. "Twelve stitches in total. Eight on your right food and four on your left. Can I call someone to take you home?"

"Uh..." Pete was in Denver, and he'd make the trip in the middle of the night in a heartbeat. He'd also coddle her, and dote on her, and smother her. She shuddered internally. Nope.

"That's alright, Carter. I was just leaving base so I'll give you a lift if you'd like."

 _Great_. Now she'd look bad if she turned his generous and innocuous offer down in front of the lovely nurse who knew no better.

She gritted her teeth. "Thanks. Sir." The nurse returned with the wheelchair and she once again shuddered as she realised until she could at least tell if she was going to damage her feet if she walked she couldn't even attempt it.

* * *

Half an hour later, Jack was helping Sam into the spare bedroom where she promptly collapsed onto the bed in exhaustion.

"Would you like warm drink? I have hot chocolate..." his voice was filled with a loving concern that made Sam's heart ache with longing. This entire situation reminded her far too much of what had brought them together in the first place. It had been just over two years since they'd decided they weren't 'working' and if she was being honest with herself, these feelings she was having as she lay in his spare bedroom should've dissipated.

"Ah, maybe a cup of tea?"

"You got it." Jack exited the room like a man on a mission and Sam closed her eyes with a sigh. She really should call Pete in the morning. Actually, she should call Pete now. He'd want to know where she was. He wouldn't get jealous, he'd never shown any resentment toward her closeness with her team. Unsure why though, Sam had never shared her previous relationship with her CO with her fiancé. The furthest she'd gone was an explanation of a "brief" and "tumultuous" relationship that didn't last. He'd never pried for the 'who what where and why', and she'd never offered more information. Now though, as she lay under a familiar roof with a familiar scent, she wondered if her unwillingness to share this part of her life was to do with her unwillingness to let it go. Her eyelids were heavy, and it took all her effort to pry them open when she felt Jack re-enter the room.

For the first time in weeks, she really looked Jack over. He looked tired and worn out. He grinned but there was a deep sadness in his eyes that he was obviously trying to hide. She gratefully took the warm cup from him and took a long slow sip of the calming liquid.

It was a few moments before he spoke. "So... I'm curious..." his hand waved toward her bandage feet and a grimace formed on her face.

"It's really silly, sir."

He grinned and she saw the sadness in his eyes quelled slightly by a childlike curiosity. "I like silly."

"Okay, but you have to promise not to laugh..." she waited for him to nod innocently before continuing. "I was having a bad dream... a nightmare I suppose." She saw his eyes furrow in worry but didn't give him a chance to question her about it. "I must've knocked the glass off in my sleep and when I woke I was in somewhat of a hurry to get out of bed and clean myself up that I didn't even realise. I stepped straight onto the mess with all my weight."

He grimaced in sympathy. Part of him desperately wanted to make sure she was okay. He'd seen her have nightmares a few times in the past, but for the most part she was a very still sleeper. It was only combat situation nightmares that made her move, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what she might have been dreaming about. Unfortunately, she'd refused to share the intricate details of what Replicator Carter had shown her, but he got the gist.

"Well, it's not _that_ silly. Nightmares are normal. It is kind of funny still." He noticed that she'd abandoned her cup of tea on the side table and picked it up. "You should go back to sleep, I'll be just down the hall."

* * *

 _"Finish him!" A voice pushed into her mind. Fifth? No, that's not him..._

 _I turn my head. "Pete?"_

 _"Finish him, Sam. For us."_

 _I close my eyes a moment. Opening them, I pull the trigger. His eyes. Oh god._

 _"Jack!" A scream echoes around me before I realise the sound is coming from my mouth. His eyes fill with despair and betrayal as he feels for his chest, the blood seeping into his clothes._

 _"Sam..." his voice is soft, weak._

 _I scream again._

A bone chilling scream woke Jack instantly, and he was out of bed and down the hall within a few bounds. He pushed the already slightly ajar door open all the way to reveal Carter tossing on her bed. He assessed the situation for a second, knowing if he tried to wake her she might react poorly. It wasn't until she started scream his name that he acted. He sat on the side of the bed and grabbed a flailing hand. Her eyes snapped open instantly, but it took a moment for recognition to enter her eyes. The moment that happened, she started to sob. His heart wrenched and without thinking he engulfed her in his arms and rocked her back and forth, trying to soothe her. Instead her sobs intensified and she began muttering.

"I killed you, oh god. I _killed_ you. You're dead."

He hushed her. "Sam, it was just a dream. I'm right here, healthy as a horse with two bad knees." He glanced at the clock on the side table that read 04:55. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise. Did you want me to stay with you for a bit?"

She nodded into his chest and he shuffled them back so he was resting his back on the pillows and backboard. He ran his hand through her short hair and relished in the comfort he found with her in his arms. Waiting until he thought she was asleep before he removed himself softly from her grasp and pulled the blankets back over her. He hesitated slightly before laying a soft kiss on her head and whispered "I should never have let you go."

He nearly jumped out of his skin when she whispered back, "then don't."

 _Okay, not as asleep as I thought._ He waited to see if she'd say anything else or move, but her breathing evened out again and she was still. He walked quietly from the room to the kitchen, grabbing his phone on the way and shooting a text message to Daniel, asking him and Teal'c to come over as soon as they were free. He didn't trust himself to not convince Sam to run away with him. The worst part was that he knew she would in an instant. He couldn't do that to her. He had no way to promise her that this time it would be different.

He made a pot of coffee before returning to the spare room and sitting himself in the chair so he could watch over her. She seemed content enough in her sleep after an hour that he allowed himself to leave for a shower and to get dressed. When he returned, he found her bed empty and frowned before making his way to the kitchen to find her dressed in the spare pair of sweats he'd laid out for her, drinking a coffee. A set of crutches the infirmary had provided them last night leaned against the counter, answering his unspoken question of how she got out here.

As soon as she noticed him she spoke. "Sir, I'm so sorry about last night..."

 _And back to ranks._

"Carter, it's fine. You obviously have a lot to process at the moment. Maybe you should consider talking to someone about your dreams..."

She hesitated. "I really don't want to share it with someone who can't really understand..."

Pensively, he filled his coffee and took a long sip. "So tell me," he offered boldly. "I have a pretty darn good idea of what the dreams are about."

She shook her head. "Oh no, sir. I really don't want to burden you with this."

A memory of the dream flashed through her mind and she saw his eyes, filled with heartbreak as he acknowledged the bullet impacting him. He wasn't angry, or scared. It wasn't the fact that she was reliving killing him, it was _that_ look.

Jack had moved to the stool next to her and was watching her with soft eyes as she thought. "Please, Sam. I want to help you here."

"When..." she didn't know how to start. _From the beginning I suppose._ "Originally, Replicator Me showed me the simulation Fifth had run her through in order to try to break her ties with the SGC. Only, it was more about breaking ties with you. My dreams are essentially that only... I'm not her in my dreams. I am me and each time it's slightly different. When I knocked the glass off the table, I had fought back against Fifth in my dream. I refused to shoot you."

Jack's eyes darkened slightly, but Sam couldn't perceive the emotion behind them. "Last night, when you woke up, you told me you killed me."

"Yes, sir. Last night, I did."

"I think it's understandable that might rattle you a bit, Carter. I don't think you need to be beating yourself up about it."

"It wasn't Fifth last night..."

His eyes narrowed with confusion. "I don't understand, sorry."

She took a deep breath, staring into the dregs at the base of her cup. "Last night, it wasn't Fifth who told me to finish you... it was Pete."

Jacks hand gripped tightly around his own cup, his eyes searching for anything but her gaze. "Oh."

"And it wasn't the act of killing you that hurt the most. It was your eyes... even as I..." She couldn't finish. There was nothing that she could say that could adequately describe the feelings coursing through her.

A knock on the door made her jump.

"That'd be the Danny and T..." Jack muttered as he placed him cup on the counter. He walked back to her and brushed her hair out for her face, lifting her head so their eyes met. "Sam, I don't blame you for trying to move on."

She wanted to sob, instead opting to nod curtly before breaking eye contact. "You'd better let them in before they break down the door," she said as another, more insistent knock came.

Jack was gone for a few moments, and she heard some hushed voices followed by Jack reappearing in the kitchen looking extremely nervous.

"Sir?" her voice was tinged with concern and confusion.

"Pete's here."

She gawped. "What?"

"Pete. Your fiancé."

"I know who Pete is. How does he even know where you live?"

"Uh... Daniel and T went by your place to grab a few things for you. He was there; apparently he'd intended to surprise you. Very sweet of him." The last part of his sentence was tainted with deep sarcasm. Of course, he regretted it when he looked at Sam to see her... disappointed? "I... ah... I'll head outside with the guys and let you two chat."

He wasn't exactly pleased that her fiancé was at his doorstep, but couldn't think of any reason that wasn't 100% personal to send him away without causing deep suspicion about what really was an innocent situation... mostly.

A few moments later, a very concerned Pete appeared in front of her. "Care to tell me what the hell is going on?"

Sam flinched; she didn't know why she hadn't expected him to be so put out. "I hurt myself at work and J... the General offered to help me out for a couple of days until I could help myself again." She motioned at her bandaged feet, causing Pete's face to change from anger to concern.

"Are you okay? Why didn't you call me? It wouldn't have put me out, I was headed down here anyway."

 _Because I didn't want to call you? Why didn't I want to call you?_

"I didn't know you were coming down, why are you here?" She didn't mean it to come out as accusingly as it did.

Pete looked hurt by the underlying accusation that he'd done something wrong. "I had 24 hours leave... I wanted to surprise you. When you didn't come home I called for you, but someone called Harrison... no... Harriman... said he didn't know where you were, he offered to call your lab and check the sign out log but I didn't want to seem intrusive. Maybe I should've been more suspicious."

Sam's mouth fell open. "Excuse me?" she asked incredulously.

"I didn't mean it, I'm sorry. I know you wouldn't..." he back peddled.

Sighing, she saw the remorse in his face and didn't have it within her to push him further. "Look, Pete. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I didn't know you were coming down and if I did..." She wanted to say that she would've told him, but deep down she knew she probably would've just made some excuse about having to work late and avoided him. It was cruel, and she knew it. As much as she did care about him, she hated being coddled and knew exactly how he'd react. He'd want to know what happened and there were very few people she felt she could share that with.

 _I can share it with Jack..._

A small part of herself despised that she was so ready and willing to share the hard parts of her life with someone who shouldn't be anything more than her commanding officer. So why couldn't she shake the feeling that she was exactly where she needed to be?

"Look, Pete. I know you didn't mean it, but really, I'm fine. If you want I can come back with you now. I just wasn't able to be alone last night and General O'Neill offered his spare room until I could function properly again..."

Pete shook his head. "No, that's okay. I have to head back now anyway. I have to report tomorrow morning and we have a case to work on tomorrow before I transfer here permanently. Loose ends to wrap up and all that." He bent down and placed a chaste kiss on her lips just in time for the rest of SG-1 plus the General entered. She blushed and wished him safe travels as he left the room.

The three remaining men stood around awkwardly until Teal'c presented her with an overnight back with fresh clothing. "Do you require assistance changing, Samantha?"

She accepted gracefully and let him help her to the spare room. Her feet were stinging by the time she sat herself on the edge of the bed. Teal'c passed her the bag, looking away graciously as she removed the sweat pants and changed over to clean underwear. When given permission, he helped her slide the tighter leg pants of her jeans over her feet.

"Are you well?" he asked, knowing her answer but giving her the room to pretend she was alright if she wished to.

"I don't know, T. This past week, with the replicators, Pete, Jack. I can't help but feel maybe I'm making the wrong choice by trying to move on with my life... trying to be happy again."

"I do not believe there to be any wrong in trying to find ones own happiness. Do _you_ believe you can find happiness in Pete Shanahan?"

Sam remained silent, not sure she could answer the question when she didn't know the truth herself. Teal'c didn't push her for an answer, instead remaining as she finished changing, averting his eyes at appropriate times, but never losing the look of caring concern for his close friend.

"Know, Samantha, that if you decide your happiness in not within the arms of the one you are betrothed to, no one would think less of you for choosing to walk away. I simply have one thing to ask of you."

Sam tilted her head, asking him to go on.

"What transpired in order for you to make a conscious choice to distance yourself from O'Neill?"

Sam sighed and ran her hands through her hair. "Teal'c, I don't know what you're talking about, and I really don't want to go through explaining myself again."

Teal'c sat on the bed next to her and took her hand, a rare gesture from the normally stoic Jaffa. "I believe you know what I am referring to. You first distanced yourself when you return from misadventure on the Prometheus."

Sam studied Teal'c for a moment before deciding she had little chance of trying to fool Teal'c. He'd always been more perceptive than he let on, and rarely intervened in other peoples personal lives. "It was nothing, really. I suppose you could say I had somewhat of an epiphany."

He tilted his head and quirked an eyebrow.

"I was trapped there, alone. I had a concussion and I suppose I was hallucinating too. You came to me first. Told me I needed to stay awake. It's kind of a long story, but I suppose my subconscious was trying to tell me something, because eventually my dad was there. He told me I should let go of the things that prevent me from finding happiness. He said that I deserved to love someone and be loved in return."

Teal'c made a small noise of understanding. "You believe your mind was telling you that you couldn't find happiness where you were seeking it?"

Sam nodded sadly. "I know it seems silly, but..."

"On the contrary Samantha. I have learned much during my time among the Tau'ri, including many interesting psychological aspects. Apparently it is most common for your type to experience visions when in a state of concussion. Of course, I overheard Doctor Frasier say to O'Neill once that it was best not to make life altering decisions when concussed."

"You don't think I should have given up on him?"

Teal'c turned to her and met her eyes. "I think that perhaps you misinterpreted what your mind was trying to tell you." She sat silently, not knowing what to say. A few moments later Teal'c stood. "I do not think you should doubt that he loves you in return." He nodded gracefully before offering her assistance to rejoin the other two members of their odd group.

* * *

 **AN - Ah yes, that small niggling doubt of "should I really be marrying this person?"  
Poor Pete. For those who have been wishing for his swift departure, fret not. It's on its way.**


	9. Threading Through Moebius

**AN - It's nearly over. One, maybe two more chapters and then that's it. I hope you've enjoyed reading!**

 ** _Threading Through Moebius_**

The day after her father's funeral, Sam found herself in the empty commissary at 0630, fresh from the first dreamless sleep she's had in as long as she could remember, and feeling surprisingly content.

She'd officially ended her relationship with Pete three days before, and now found herself wondering why she hadn't done so earlier. Not allowing herself to dwell, she nursed the cup of coffee in her hands with a soft smile and allowed her thoughts to be with her father instead. With her eyes closed against the silence of the room, she sensed the presence followed by the sound of Teal'c seating himself next to her. "You are well, Samantha." Phrased as a statement rather than a question, she opened her eyes to look enquiringly at Teal'c.

She shrugged softly. "I am, though to be honest I'm not sure why. I feel like I should be lost. With dad gone... but instead I feel grateful for all the extra time I had with him. We weren't close before his blending with Sel'mak. I had thought I was going to lose him back then. In the time since then I've known a side of him that he could never show me when I was growing up. I miss him, and I'm sure I will for a long time to come." Teal'c moved his hand to rest upon hers and gave her a knowing look, silently telling her that it was more than okay to feel at peace with the loss of a loved one. "What about you, Teal'c? How's everything on Dakara?"

A small pleased smile passed over his face. "Very well indeed, Samantha. Though our journey to freedom has only truly just begun, for the first time our people are agreed that we will no longer serve anyone but ourselves. I am proud once more to call myself Jaffa."

"I hear you're back for the rest of the week, _and_ that Jack managed to wrangle you into coming up to his cabin."

A conspiratory smile came over his face. "I heard the same about yourself."

Sam blushed softly, but was saved from a response when Daniel came bounding into the commissary with an excited look on his face. "You two, with me, now!"

Sam glanced at her watch. 0715. "I'm getting a fresh coffee first," she stated before taking her cup over to the coffee station. Daniel joined her, practically bouncing next to her as he filled his own cup. "And I thought I was in a good mood this morning, what on earth has gotten into you?"

Daniel declined to comment, instead grinning and ushering her and Teal'c to the elevators. When they arrived at his lab, O'Neill was waiting, looking significantly less fresh than the rest of them.

Daniel pressed play on the video, shushing any questions from them until it was finished.

 _No fish... why does he keep asking me to come fishing..._ she regarded him with curiosity. "Is that correct?" Sam asked Jack when Daniel finally allowed question time.

 _No fish? But there are fish... Close enough right?_ "If it is..." his brain hurt. "We don't do anything?"

"Apparently nothing we did affected the timeline."

 _Fish._ "But we didn't do anything!"

Carter got that look in her eye when she was about to try to explain something way over his head. She saw the look on O'Neill's face and opted for the simpler explanation. "Not yet. Apparently we were going to, two weeks from now. But now we don't have to."

"Excellent! That's it, I like it."

Carter went to grab the box with the ZPM "Okay, I'm going to get this up to the lab."

Jacks hands were on the box within a second of hers. "Nope. I'll take it. There's a whole room full of geeks up there just dying to get their hands on this. You've got packing to do." He looked her up and down once before walking away with the crate in his arms.

 _I'm going fishing._

* * *

While normally Jack would've taken a transport to Minnesota, it was a touch difficult to explain a civilian and an alien to those who weren't cleared, and so they'd opted for a road trip. So when they entered South Dakota, Jack pulled over at a small inn he was vaguely familiar with and checked the four of them in. He chucked a key card to Daniel and they made their way to the second floor. Teal'c naturally followed Daniel into his room (as though there weren't any conspiracy there), leaving Sam with little choice but to follow Jack into the second room. Two double beds and a bathroom, nothing flashy but it had a homely feel to it. She kicked off her shoes by the door, rushing to claim the bathroom before he'd even had a chance to place his bag down. She was dying for a shower, something about staying in a car all day made her feel more covered in grime than a week off-world.

Ten minutes later, she turned off the water and dried herself off before reaching for her... where were her clothes?

She groaned as she realised she'd left her bag in the main room. She cracked open the door slightly.

"Forget something?" he quipped, having noticed she'd forgotten to take her bag in with her.

"Would you mind passing me my bag?"

He laughed a small evil chuckle. "Oh I don't think so, Carter. This is what you get for being greedy."

She rolled her eyes but didn't try to stop the smile from gracing her lips. "Fine, _sir._ But look away."

He muttered something but covered his eyes to show her he wasn't looking. When he heard her step out of the bathroom, he peeked through his fingers to see her glaring at him. God she looked amazing, wrapped in a towel that came down to mid-thigh, she was hardly showing anything indecent but a shot of desire ran through him.

"Fine..." he drawled before turning away. "Can't blame a man for peeking."

"Uh, I'm pretty sure I can..." She quickly pulled on her sweats and an oversized shirt before telling him it was safe to turn around.

He turned and grinned at her before grabbing his bag pointedly and heading to the bathroom himself. Sam settled herself on the bed and pulled out her notebook, scribbling down and idea that came to her during her stint driving. In her immersion, she didn't notice Jack re enter the room until her pen was snatched from her hand. Her head shot up, eyes narrowed. "Do you mind, _sir?_ "

He huffed at her. "I was pretty specific when I said _no work_."

Sam grabbed her pen back. "This..." she waved her book in his face, "is not work."

Jack stared at the equations and rough diagrams before rolling his eyes. "Really? Because it looks a lot like work to me, especially because I _know_ I've seen that equation on your whiteboard a number of times. He poked at an equation in the top corner of the page.

"You would've. It's part of what I need to calculate escape velocity."

He held his hands up with an air of exasperation. "Carter..." he warned.

"If you let me finish this now, I _promise_ I won't work on it all when we're at the cabin. I just need five more minutes."

He sighed, flopping down on the bed next to her, looking at his watch.

"Ah, sir. What are you doing?"

"Timing you Carter, better get scribbling, time's a wasting."

She gave one of her grins that made his heart soar, and he lost himself in thoughts about how to get her to smile like that more often. He was brought out of his thoughts by Carter snapping her notebook closed. "Done." There was that grin again.

"Four minutes and twenty three seconds. You have a whole thirty seven seconds left, anything you want to do with that time?"

 _So many things..._ Her eyes darted to his lips before looking away with a small cough. "Nope, not a thing."

He grabbed the pen from her again and started twirling it between his fingers. "You know... with everything that's happened these past weeks, we've hardly had a chance to talk. How are you coping with everything?"

Sam pondered for a moment, he was right. They hadn't talked about anything other than work or funeral arrangements since her father passed. She hadn't so much as told him that she'd broken off her engagement, though she suspected he knew. He did ask her to come fishing, after all.

 _Well that's as good a place as any to start._

"I'm doing really well, actually. Which is strange, consider I lost a father and a fiancé in the space of a week."

Jack gave out a soft laugh. "I was wondering when you were going to tell me about that."

Sam frowned. "How did you know?" _And why do you care?_

He grinned at her. "You cancelled your leave request, Carter. I'm the one who signs off on those things you know, even in this electronic age. Plus, you agreed to come fishing..."

She blushed. "Well... yes. Regardless, I'm doing alright. There are still a few lose ends floating around that I want to tie up, but with the Goa'uld all but gone, for the first time in a very long time I feel like I have a chance to make up my own mind about my life." She looked at him pointedly, and she knew she didn't need to ask the question on her mind. She was finally in a position where she could make up her own mind about _them_ , or the current lack thereof.

He nodded slowly. "I have wanted to talk to you about that. There are some... changes... coming. Now isn't the time though."

She looked at him confused. "Why not?"

He shrugged. "I'm tired, it'll be one of those really long conversations. The kind that flows into the morning."

"Oh." She didn't know what to say.

He took her hand, gently moving his thumb over her palm, investigating the lines and crevices from years of work. "I promise you though, we will talk about." He looked into her eyes. "Right now though, I believe a decent sleep is in order. He went to stand, only to have her grasp his hand tighter. He looked at her questioningly. She simply shrugged and shuffled over, leaving enough room for him to slide into the bed with her.

He hesitated a moment before pulling back the covers and grabbing the TV remote. He flicked over to a news channel and settled under the covers. With their hands joined, he felt her drift into an uneasy sleep beside him. Once he'd found the weather report for tomorrow he turned the TV off, along with the bedside lamp and lay down. In her doze, Carter turned and wrapped her arm around his chest. He briefly contemplated returning the gesture, but settled on the safer option of closing his eyes and enjoying her warmth.

 _Soon._


	10. Peace

**I was trying to make one big final chapter, but I'm kind of stuck on the ending, so here's the beginning of the end. Enjoy xx**

* * *

They were on the road by 0600, Daniel and Teal'c took the back seats, using each other as pillows to catch more sleep while Sam and Jack rode silently in the front. Sam had offered to drive first, but Jack had declined, saying he loved to watch the sun rise over the horizon as they drove east. Sam had simply nodded her agreement and took second seat, tracking their journey on the obsolete map she'd brought with them. She'd known that Jack wouldn't need it, but she loved knowing exactly where they were and where they were going. Perhaps she was overcompensating for the uncertainty of the rest of the aspects of their lives, but she didn't give it too much thought, instead commenting the next upcoming town and asking him about each of them. After nearly three hours they pulled into the lot of a small fuel station and cafe just past Sioux Falls. Jack jumped out of the car, followed by Sam who watched the guys stir and take in their surroundings.

She followed Jack to the pump. "I'm going grab the two sleeping beauties some coffee and donuts. Want some?"

Jack looked pensive. "Definitely coffee, but can you see if they have something savoury instead? Maybe a toasted sandwich..." he reached for his wallet and pulled out some cash. "Mind paying for the gas when you're in there?"

By the time she'd returned, Teal'c had taken the front passenger seat as they'd discussed when they loaded themselves in this morning. Rotating the extra leg space only seemed fair. Daniel offered to drive, an offer that was quickly shot down as Jack threw the keys over his head to Sam.

* * *

It was late afternoon by the time they arrived at Jack's cabin, the sun was lowering itself behind the mountains bathing the landscape in a warm orange tone.

"Campers, we're here." Jack announced to rouse Daniel from his doze. Sam stepped out of the truck with a stretch and looked around her, listening to the loud silence that came with the woods filled with life. Immediately she saw the attraction, and why Jack came here to get away from the world.

"So, what do you think?" a soft voice came from just over her shoulder. Turning she found herself precariously close to Jack's face. She inhaled sharply, drawing her attention away from the curve of his lips and the stubble that had formed over the past two days. She took a step back. "It's... very quiet."

A smirk crept over his lips. His eyes darted down to his hand and he seemed to remember he was holding Sam's luggage. "Good quiet, or we're about to be ambushed quiet?" he quipped as he passed his bag to her.

"Good quiet; the sort of quiet from our weeks' vacation off world. You know, after we saved the planet?" she grinned at him cheekily before taking stride toward the cabin. Daniel had pulled himself out of the truck and was pacing slowly behind them, still trying to wake himself.

"Again," he winked at her.

"It really is beautiful, sir. Thank you for bringing me... us... here." She blushed gently, thankfully he was too busy opening the door to notice.

They walked into an open living space, Daniel and Teal'c joining them. "T, Daniel. Your room in down the hall there and to the left. Carter, take the one on the right. I'll make camp out here. I need to turn the generator on and the fridge."

"Gas fridge?" Sam queried. Jack nodded vaguely. "Right, I'll get that. You get the generator. Anything else you need done?"

Jack looked around pensively. "Would you mind hooking the gas bottle up to the barbeque if I'm not done before you?"

Sam gave a soft smile, turning her attention to the fridge. "Sure."

* * *

Forty minutes later found all four of them out the back, Teal'c and Daniel were watching a pair of ducks sitting on the lake ducking their heads under occasionally, while Sam supervised the cooking of her steak. Unlike the General in charge of cooking, she preferred her steak slightly less than charred.

"I do not understand the behaviour of these animals, Samantha Carter. Why do they keep wetting their faces?" This elicited a snort of laughter from an already tipsy Daniel.

"They're catching food, T." Jack said by way of an explanation. Teal'c seemed to accept it, simply bowing his head and continuing his observation.

"Right, Carter. Your steak is disgusting and done."

Sam rolled her eyes. "I like to limit my intake of charcoal when I can avoid it."

Daniel and Teal'c turned their attention back to the food. "Mmm potato salad," Daniel muttered as he scooped some onto his plate and digging in without hesitation.

"Hold up a second there Danny-boy." Jack waved a steak and him before dumping it onto the proffered plate.

Dinner was a quiet affair, with all of them too tired from the journey to offer much to a conversation; it wasn't until the night chill drove them inside by the fire that Jack broke his news to his former team, and good friends. "I've been reassigned."

The news was met with blank face. "Where to, sir?"

"Er... Homeworld, actually."

Sam pursed her lips. "D.C.?"

Jack gave a small nod. "Yup. Hammond wants to retire, finally. They needed someone with as much experience and knowledge with the 'gate as him so... I was prime candidate."

"Who's taking your place?" Daniel blurted out, once he'd recovered from his shock.

Jack shrugged. "It's not 100% yet, but an old buddy, General Landry, looks like the choice at the moment. Provided he takes it."

"You will be missed, O'Neill." Teal'c was sombre.

"When do you go?" Sam looked saddest of them all, though she'd never admit it.

Another shrug, Jack took a long sip from his near empty bottle of beer before grabbing a fresh one from the table in front of him. "There's a few details to work out before I head to D.C., but Reynolds is in temporary control of the SGC. Technically, I'm on leave until my reassignment goes through. A few weeks, maybe a month. I just thought you should all know, I don't have all the details yet. I only found out the day we left Colorado."

Daniel let out a long yawn, drawing amusement from his company.

"Are we boring you, Daniel?" Jack quipped affectionately.

Rolling his eyes, Daniel stood and placed his empty bottle on the table with the rest. "Nuh, I'm just exhausted. I think I'll call it a night."

Teal'c stood, "indeed, it has been an eventful day."

After bidding their goodnights, Teal'c and Daniel disappeared down the hall and silence settled over the lounge room. Sam ran her finger over the edge of her wine glass pensively, enjoying the gentle hum of the glasses vibrations. Jack simply watched her, knowing she'd speak when she'd sorted her own thoughts out in her mind. Fifteen minutes later, she broke her reverie and reached for the wine bottle, filling her glass slightly and running her finger around the rim again, smiling softly when it elicited a different tone.

"Physics." Jack stated in a very matter of fact manner.

This made Sam grin, and his heart fluttered as she locked eyes with him. "Yes, sir. Physics."

He returned her smile. "See, I knew that!"

"I knew that you knew that."

"I knew that you knew that I knew that."

"I knew that you knew that I knew that you knew."

Jack grabbed his head dramatically. "That hurts."

Sam laughed softly. "So... D.C.?"

"Mmm... not my first choice. Personally I wanted to retire."

"Again?"

"Yes, and for real this time. Unfortunately, Hammond had first dibs on retirement."

"They offered me a position at Area 51."

Jack nodded slowly. "I know... and?"

"And what?"

Jack glared at her. "And are you going to take it?"

Sam returned her attention to the glass, this time drinking rather than playing with it. "It has certain advantages."

Ah the burning question! He didn't want to push her, instead waiting for her to continue.

"I'll be 100% research, imagine how much I could get done if I didn't have field work. I'd head up R and D. I'd also miss the snow, and Daniel. He wants to work on the Atlantis project you know." Jack made a face at her that told her he knew, and he didn't approve. "Teal'c is going to spend most of his time of Dakara now. It's where he's needed most."

"It'd take you out of my chain of command." Jack blurted it out without meaning to. Sam looked like she was about to choke on the sip of wine she'd just taken, thankfully managing to swallow it without incident.

"Yes, there's that. What do you think?"

"I think you shouldn't let me play a role in your decision to leave the SGC. I think R and D would satisfy the inner geek you've had to suppress."

"I've hardly been 'non-geeky' since we've been at the SGC."

"True," Jack conceded. "I still think there's plenty more 'geek' to go around though."

"If you call me geek one more time, I will hit you... sir."

Jack grinned at her. "My point is that once you got over the initial shock of the change... I think you could be happy there..."

Sam nodded her agreement. "Yes, I think so too."

"So, to Area 51 then?" Jack raised his bottle in a mock toast.

"To D.C. and maybe Area 51." Sam joined his toast solemnly, thinking about how her life was about to change. No more SG-1, these three people had been so much more than teammates. No, they'd died for each other, time and time again each of the four had shown their strongest and their weakest, and never had they truly given up on each other, on _her._ They were her family now, and the thought of being without them made her feel incredibly vulnerable. "I'd like to keep in touch."

Jack looked surprise, "of course, I wouldn't have it any other way. Besides, if you take up R and D, we'll still have to meet regularly. It's not like we won't ever see each other again. It might be different, Sam. That doesn't necessarily mean it'll be worse. We've given our lives to a cause that was so much more important than any of us, or any solitary person, could ever be. Every one of us has given something up. Teal'c gave up his family and his home, Daniel lost his wife, heck, he even died _multiple times_. While you've given your life to the Air Force, you're a scientist. This job... it's perfect for you. The fight is over now."

Sam bit her cheek, trying not to tear up. "What did you give up?"

Jack was silent for a moment. "I think I've gained more than I've lost. Before Abydos, I was... purely ballistic. I had no guidance, I had lost everything that held me here. I met Skaara, and he showed me an innocence I'd forgotten could exist. After that, SG-1 was my compass. Daniel with his unwavering sense of morality, Teal'c with his nobility, and you... You made me think again. Really think. I doubt I'll ever meet someone as intelligent as you, but it was more than that. You combined Daniel's morality and Teal'c's nobility, your intelligence... You could always find the answer that was right, if not easiest. I suppose if there's one thing I've given up, it's what you and I might've been... if it had all been different."

She couldn't stop the tears from falling as she listened to him, she'd tried so desperately to build a world of normality that she could escape to when the day was done, and in the end she'd ended up with nothing but a tally of broken hearts and shattered dreams. Jack shuffled closer to her, placing his beer on the table and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Hey, that was supposed to be a pep talk."

"Sorry, sir. It's just... I suppose I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that I have no one left, You, Daniel, and Teal'c are just part of it. Dad's gone, I left the one person willing to marry me, not that I'm saying it would've been right to... I've just never been very good at being alone."

Jack pulled himself away slightly, just enough to turn her toward him and lift her chin up to look her in the eye. "Sam, you aren't alone. Danny and Teal'c... they'll visit."

"And you?" _Blunt is probably easiest._

"I'll be wherever you want me to be."

She simply nodded, leaning forward and burying her face in his chest, letting every tear for every loss she'd felt in the past eight years fall freely. They sat there silently, his arms tight around her, knowing there wasn't anything more to say right now. At this very moment, they needed each other's friendship.

Their reverie was broken a while later by a flash of light, followed by a whirring that sounded suspiciously like a Polaroid camera. Jack's suspicions were confirmed by a quick glance to his side to see Daniel standing there looking like the cat that got the canary. Sam was the first to react, jumping over the back of the couch and tackling Daniel to the ground without a word.

"Ah, Jack? Little help here?" Daniels voice was muffled, and Sam was trying to reach for the photo in his outstretched hand without losing her control over him.

"Yes, _Jack_. A little help?" she echoed, jutting her head toward the photo she was trying to recover. Jack strolled over, contemplating his options. He reached a decision when he saw the camera lying discarded a foot from the wrestling pair. Picking it up, he quickly snapped another of Carter overpowering Daniel before lying down to grab the photo out of Daniel's hand. The other photo printed and a fit of laughter overcame him at the image of Daniel's horrified look at the camera and Carter's determination.

"You can get off him now, Sam. I think he's learnt his lesson."

"On the contrary," came a deep voice from the hall. "Did I not tell you your plan would be unsuccessful, Daniel Jackson?"

Sam laughed as she relinquished her hold on Daniel and stood, overing him a hand up.

"Oh come on, it was a sweet moment."

Jack just glared at Daniel. "I thought you were going to sleep."

Daniel huffed, attempting one more grab at the photo. Unsuccessful, he relented. "I was cold, I came out for more blankets."

"He then proceeded to wake me to inform me of his plan." Teal'c sounded slightly put out by the whole matter.

Jack turned his attention to the photo. It was sweet, he had to admit. Carter looked peaceful, snuggling against him. He too looked content. Smiling softly, "well, I guess I'll have to thank you for the photo." He slid it into his back pocket before making his way to the hall closet and grabbing a blanket that he lobbed at Daniel's face, successfully knocking his glasses askew.

"I will return to bed now," Teal'c stated, unceremoniously dragging Daniel with him back to the room.

Jack waited until the door clicked shut before turning his attention back to Sam. "Well... I should get the sofa set up..."

Sam shuffled on her feet. "You could... you know..." she gestured down the hall to the room he'd designated hers for their stay.

"Erm... maybe not tonight."

"Nothing has to happen. I just feel somewhat better when you're around. It makes it easier to sleep."

Jack relented easier than he would have liked, grabbing his duffel bag and excusing himself to change. When he entered the room he found Sam sitting up in the bed, her head leaned back and eyes closed.

"Whatcha thinking about?"

Sam didn't open her eyes. "Actually, nothing oddly enough. Just enjoying the sound of the night." He noted that she'd opened the window, allowing a cool breeze in. He slid into the bed next to her, lying down. She followed suit, facing him, watching his features. "Thank you for inviting me here."

He smiled softly. "Sam, I've been asking you for years. Thank you for agreeing." He was entirely unprepared for her to lean forward and place a soft kiss just next to his lips. Innocent enough, but saying much more than words ever could. He reached his hand out and stroked her cheek. "Good night."

She closed her eyes and inhaled softly. "Good night, Jack."

His hand slid between them to grasp hers as they drifted into sleep, surrounded by the peace of nature.


End file.
